Luckily, he's not a woman

Once in awhile, Dad would ask me why I don't dress better. You see, according to people like my dad, women should dress to thrill and not bore everyone with the tediously ordinary jeans-and-tee ensemble. He would tell me that had he been born a woman, he would have no lack of mini skirts and cleavage-inducing tops in his wardrobe. He even goes to the extent declaring he'd be the biggest bitch on earth, not hesitating to seduce his way through, and in the process, giving Joan Collins a run for her money.

Because of the industry he's been in for the last 30 odd years, I'm not at all surprised he's got this sort of mentality.

My dad thinks that women have the upper hand because we can easily manipulate men. And if a woman dresses well, things would be even easier cos she's perceived as more stimulating, and will be able to gain more respect.

I guess it's mildly ironic that he married a woman who isn't anything like that. Besides, it only re-affirms that God is amazing cos He sagely decided to make my father a man.

I'm feeling: Incredulous
I'm listening to: Walk On - U2

Wedding planner-to-be

Look at what I just bought:



No, I'm not getting married, but as most of you already know by now, Huaiky & Steff (date TBC) are! :) So as the official wedding coordinator for both weddings, I've got to start on the research and make sure I've got every bit of information on all things wedding-y. After all, these girls are two of the most important people in my life and I'm gonna make sure their weddings are perfect, down to every last tiny detail.

Eeeee.... Can't wait!! :p

I'm feeling: Excited
I'm listening to: Better Together - Jack Johnson

Trust Mac

Have you guys seen the new Mac ads?



http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads

Very witty.

Very true. :)

Anyway, Justin Long reminds me of someone but I can't quite put a finger to it. Anyone know who I'm talking about?

I'm feeling: Amused
I'm listening to: Love Is On The Way - Saigon Kick

An Apple a day

Say hello to the newest Mac convert in town.

With my teaching job already in the bag, what better way to embrace my newfound career than with a spankin' new notebook? So I went out and did what I've wanted to do for a long, long time and got myself the new MacBook.

Well, actually, Dad paid for it, so thanks Dad! :)

I must say, I am totally loving my Mac. I can't believe how easy it is to use. My only prior experience with Macs was back in Uni when I tried out the iMacs at the computer labs. Then, I was only using it mostly for the Internet experience, cos I'd heard all these rave reviews about Safari being so much faster than anything else. Well. It's true. But, oh wow! The OS X Tiger is incredibly clean and sleek, many of the applications are to die for and don't even get me started on how fast it processes everything! And as though all that weren't enough, the learning curve is so non-existent that I found myself easing through the system in a matter of minutes!

I'm still using my desktop of course, since most of my crap's still on there. More importantly, Photoshop. I'm only using the Mac for work/school stuff and for those moments where I feel it absolutely necessary to surf the Internet and watch TV concurrently.

Such as now.

Like, whenever football is on.

There's still a few things to learn and fully familiarise myself with, but I'm certain it wouldn't take more than a week to figure everything out.

I hit myself for not switching over sooner, but hey, better now than never, right? ;)

I'm feeling: Pleased
I'm listening to: I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Ally's day of fun

Yesterday was a full day of laughs with some of my favourite people in the world.

It kicked off when my gorgeous cousins took me to Sentosa for a relaxing day at Tanjong Beach. It was a truly lazy Friday afternoon complete with a picnic and very bad but very enjoyable attempts at beach volleyball and handball. Heheh. Naturally, I was very excited and feeling real perky about our little Girls' Day Out cos it's been awhile since we all last hung out together. Also, I badly needed to re-kindle my relationship with the sun.

3 hours later, my tan-ness probably increased by just 2%. Damn.

Mr. Sun, have you forgotten me? Your fave Singaporean friend? You and I used to have such good times together. I'd swim or just lie around and your light would eagerly penetrate through my pores, filling me with your delightfully warm sunshine. What happened yesterday? :(

Perhaps I should've just slapped on the tanning oil.

What amazed me most after our Girls' Day Out was how much we've all grown. I still remember back when we were younger, when we hung out to swim, play, and all the countless sleepovers we had. Then, Nat's parents would drive us around to wherever we wanted to go. Today, we (well, just Nat actually) are driving ourselves to the beach, thankyouverymuch. I thank God for giving me such amazing sisters. :)

Later in the evening, I met my girls at Menotti for some divine desserts and some truly fabulous company. I don't know how it's possible but each time I hang out with these guys, I just feel like I love them more and more. We know each other's quirks and habits so well that nothing surprises us anymore. What we have now is just a great friendship where we can really let ourselves go and have plenty of fun. It's such a real blessing to have the company of such wonderful friends.

Click here for photos from last night.

I'm feeling: Blessed
I'm listening to: Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

This is for you

Almost 12 years on and this is what our friendship has come to:



Hope you like reading my blog now, hun! ;)

I'm feeling: Chilly
I'm listening to: On Top - The Killers

No bananas

I saw a bunch of bananas hanging in my kitchen and rightaway, my thoughts were with everyone in Brissie who - due to the water crisis - have not had the opportunity to munch on many bananas.

Don't worry guys, you can always live vicariously through me and I promise to send virtual bananas whenever we buy a new bunch. In the meantime, excuse me while I go enjoy this soft, sweet, and absolutely delish potassium-filled fruit.

I'm feeling: Cheeky
I'm listening to: Lakini's Juice - Live

Memories of EMP

Here are some photos taken with the gorgeous folks at church:



I miss you guys! Boohoo. :(

I'm feeling: Reminiscent
I'm listening to: Pour Out - Shawn McDonald

MYFers in action

3 posts in one day has got to be a record for me. Anyway, here are the videos. Photos to come tomorrow!

From Music Night:
Group 1 - Knocking, Knocking


Group 2 - Emo Hymn


Hanging after Sunday Service

A Brisbane blessing

Phew. Just finished transfering all my old posts from my previous blog to blogspot. Took awhile, but I did it. *pats own back*

As many of you know by now, I went back to Brisbane for a quick, surprise visit. The whole trip was a real blessing and I'm really grateful for my amazing folks who so readily gave me the money to enjoy myself. Love you, Mum & Dad! :D

The reaction and reception I got from everyone was astounding. I didn't realise how much I missed them until I finally saw them again and we were all hugging and jumping around. It was a crazy welcome back and one that I won't be forgetting for a long, long time.

What struck me most was seeing how much the church, MYF and everyone has grown over the past year. The desire to serve God is so evident in everyone's eyes that it's inspiring. You've got all these young ones stepping up and devoting time to God. The number participating in weekly Bible studies have exploded from the original 7 to a regular 20-odd people. The church has truly been blessed and I can only pray now that it will continue to grow in the right direction.

Plenty of R&R was had, of course. Lots of catching up with everyone, hanging out and... shopping! My accumulation includes:

12 DVDs
1 Boxset
5 Tops
1 pair of shorts
3 pairs of underwear
2 showbags from Ekka
Too much food

Thankfully I was able to fit everything into my suitcase. :p

I also celebrated two birthdays - Uncle Thomas and my own - while I was there. Uncle Thomas turned 60 and the family threw a huge party for him. Friends, Rellies... everyone came in full force. Auntie Luciana was at her usual culinary best whipping out one delish dish after another. And it was so wonderful to finally get to see little Jacquelyn! She's ridiculously adorable and I can just sit there for hours staring at her. No kidding.

My birthday was a cosier affair at my fave Mexican restaurant - Montezuma's. And in the grand tradition of birthday celebrations at Monte's, I got the full shebang - howling waitresses shaking their maracas, a chocolate mousse lit up with sparklers and a sombrero! :) It was a pleasant surprise cos I thought it was just a dinner among old friends. So yeah, big thanks to Huaiky, Pen & Zef for planning it! *hugs* :)

I'm missing everyone tremendously right now. I wish I could've stayed a bit longer, but I was also missing my gorgeous friends back home too. If only everyone was in the same country, eh?

I'm gonna go through the hundreds of photos that I took and will be uploading the better ones sometime tonight. Be sure to check back for photos and a video or two. ;)

I'm feeling: Blessed
I'm listening to: Cats In The Cradle - Dilana

Pseudonyms

Something in the way I pronounce my name almost always gets the staff at The Coffee Bean spelling it as "Elson". At first, I thought it was because I spoke too fast, so I slowed it down. AIR-LE-SEN. Nope. Still "Elson". That's it. Next time, I'm just gonna give a fake name.

I remember my lecturer telling us about that time he freaked out some poor teenager when he told her his name was Osama. It was hilarious cos my lecturer was an Arab. :p Another time, he told this dude his name was Daffy Duck without batting an eyelid. Heh. I've been inspired ever since, but it always slips my mind. Remind me about it next time you're with me, okay? ;)

I'm feeling: Excited
I'm listening to: They Stood Up For Love - Live

Say hi to the newest "moulder of minds"

I've officially been accepted as a member of the Ministry and will soon be entertaining you with my copious frustrations with bloodsucking teenagers.

Nonetheless, I'm thrilled, to say the least. It's been a long and almost tumultuous wait, and I'm truly thankful that the Lord has provided me with such a favourable answer. :) I'm also relieved, of course, since I now enjoy greater certainty, career/salary-wise - although I can't really see teaching as a big money-making "career". At the risk of sounding ignorant, teaching's just not one of those jobs where you exploit situations and sleep your way to the top. At least not from my point of view.

Now, I can only pray that I'll be able to remain focused on my aim and make God proud. I'd really hate to be one of those teachers who start out all passionate and driven, only to end up debilitated and constantly snarling at the System. If that ever happens, please, slap me.

In the meantime, I'm gonna enjoy the rest of my time off before I dive right back into the workforce. Oh, how I'm gonna miss you, long and lazy days. I know I'm gonna look back very fondly on you when I have my head buried in exam scripts.

I'm feeling: Gratified
I'm listening to: Space Oddity - David Bowie

Triumphant

Dia and I had a pretty good time at Fitness First yesterday. It was fun working out together and I think we had more laughs than was acceptable at a typical gym. Hee. :p After our 45-minute session which included both cardio and strength, I can safely say we both woke up to wobbly knees this morning.

We were definitely impressed by the service and facilities, and the programs they had running. I know I was quite interested in some of them. But paying over $100 per month, on top of a highly exorbitant one-time joining fee was just too ridiculous. Granted, we were offered "special rates", so a lot of money was to be saved, but aren't these "special rates" always used to entice mere everyday folk like you and me? I sure as hell was not gonna be sucked in.

Luckily for us, they could sense our lack of interest and - I'm really thankful for this - didn't push us to sign up with them. In fact, their whole approach wasn't agressive at all, and I definitely have new-found respect for these guys.

I guess if I ever earn enough and these guys open up a gym near my place (location is everything to me, dahhling!), I may sign up with them. Till then, I'm more than happy with that fitness park across the street and the pool just two blocks from here. Yay to cheap healthy living! ;)

I'm feeling: Beat
I'm listening to: Paper Aeroplane - Angus & Julia Stone

The child in me

Every Tuesday morning feels like Christmas morning.

I wake up all happy and excited as I eagerly turn on my computer and log on to Threadless. The anticipation as the page loads is exactly like unwrapping a present. Then, the new designs pop up on screen and I start ooh-ing and aah-ing at the ones I like, all the time keeping a mental note to get them as soon as the $10 sale is on. Heh.

Most of the new designs this week didn't quite strike a chord with me, but this one, I absolutely love:

A Spaceboy Retrospective by Kevin Tong


I adore the colours on this one, and there's a certain feel-good nostalgia about this. It brings me back to my childhood where imaginations ran wild and imaginary friends were aplenty. I remember days when I ran up and down the stairs pretending to be a cop, a burglar, a chef in a busy restaurant, a fireman, a modern-day hunter, an astronaut, a doctor... All my stuffed toys would play their roles to perfection and there were no dramas between them cos I always made sure I rotated their leading-man status. (I've always been fair, even to my toys.) Then my parents would come home and get really mad when they've realised I've not done any homework all day. And there'll be more running up and down the stairs as I try to escape their fury, complete with a cane in hand.

Ah, the memories. :)

I'm feeling: Sentimental
I'm listening to: So Long, So Long - Dashboard Confessional

Cooking with friends

More cooking fun was had yesterday as we made home-made crepes and garlic-based pasta.

Dia & I officially welcomed Nessa to the cooking team as the three of us eagerly prepped ourselves in the kitchen for dinner. On the menu were two types of garlic pastas - chicken and prawn, and crepes with peaches and ice-cream.

We wanted to try out the crepes first before serving it to everyone so we used some leftover ham & cheese to make a sample. It was a bit thick, cos I think we put a little too much batter, but all in all, they were surpringly easy to make and didn't require much ingredients. The batter also didn't look quite right but the result tasted good nonethess. ;) Naturally, we beamed with pride and became more certain of ourselves.

Ham & Cheese Crepe


So we continued working our butts off in the kitchen. Nessa was really getting into it and she took over all the frying/flipping duties, while the two of us scurried around the kitchen bringing her all the ingredients and garnishings. It was a real garlic-fest as teaspoon after teaspoon of garlic was tossed into the pan. But it smelled good. I personally felt the garlic prawn pasta tasted a tad bit better, but the chicken was great too, especially for those with allergies and personal vendettas against the tiny crustacean (yes, I'm referring to you Lydia).

Sabs came in time for a completely non-bias review of our food. Her verdict? It was - quote, unquote - quite good. Oh c'mon Sabby, we know you loved it. Just say the word. Our heads won't swell - honest! ;)

Garlic Prawn Pasta


Dessert was next and I think we succeeded in making better-looking crepes. It was not as thick as our ham and cheese sample, so it was certainly more crepe-like. We all agreed that presentation definitely needed to be worked on though, but for what it's worth, I think it looked good for our first effort.

Home-made crepes with peaches & ice-cream


The laughs rolled after dinner as we retreated for some geeky board game fun. It was Dia's night, winning both games we played. Just as we were about to embark on The Game of Life, Sabs inadvertently discovered that we were a bunch of remaining singles among our very-accounted-for friends, playing this hilarious irony of a game where it would be the closest thing we'd ever come to having twins. Well, at least we're all happy. :p

It's amazing how we, despite being single, are domesticating ourselves when it doesn't look like we're getting married anytime soon. Perhaps the maternal instinct is emerging, or perhaps we're just getting ourselves ready for the day we finally have to live on our own. Dia says we should all live together should we never get married. I'm totally in, cos I know I'm gonna have plenty of fun and I'll never go hungry. ;)

(L-R) Me, Dia, Nessa & Sabs


More pictures here.

I'm feeling: Tickled
I'm listening to: The Luckiest - Ben Folds

Punk'd

Last night, I was punk'd by dear ol' Nessa and I must admit it was, in my opinion, one of the better pranks anyone has ever played on me.

It was just a nice, relaxing day where we baked brownies, chicken pies and sat in front of the telly all day watching old World Cup matches and oogling at Tommy Lee (me) and Dave Navarro (her) among other things. Speaking of which, isn't Tommy Lee the cutest and most charming 44 year-old drummer on earth? All this time, I never understood his appeal until Rock Star and now, there's absolutely no denying my increasing attraction for this man:



I digress.

Anyway, my order from Alloy arrived in the morning and I just casually tossed it on my bed. It wasn't until I was about to sleep that I discovered they were nowhere to be found. However, I didn't think much of it knowing I'd be able to find it the next day.

About an hour after I got up, I started to panic as I realised that it wasn't anywhere in the house. I lifted my bed, I looked through my parent's room, I even looked inside my guitar case, cos well, I could be that stupid. But there was not even a thread in sight! I finally asked the only other person in my room last night and lo and behold, Nessa revealed that it had been stuffed in my very own pillow - and right under my nose too - all night long! And to think, I slept right through with it just underneath my head. Well done, girl. Well done. That was indeed a good prank. My family and I all had a good laugh out of it and I'm sure Nessa did too. :D

Anyway, here's a picture of the brownie we both attempted to bake:


If you think it looks great, then, um, yeah, it was!

If not, well, you'll never know cos we're not gonna tell. ;)

I'm feeling: Amused
I'm listening to: The Riddle - Marty Casey & Lovehammers

Too wonderful

I was touched by the grace of God - His truly wondrous grace - in two separate services yesterday. No words can describe how unworthy (but thankful) I am of the Lord's neverending love. Let me just leave you with the hymn and song that really spoke to me:

It is a thing most wonderful
It is a thing most wonderful,
Almost too wonderful to be,
That God's own Son should come from heaven
And die to save a child like me.

And yet I know that it is true:
He came to this poor world below,
And wept and toiled and mourned and died,
Only because He loved us so.

I cannot tell how He could love
A child so weak and full of sin;
His love must be most wonderful,
If He could die my love to win.

I sometimes think about His cross,
And shut me eyes, and try to see
The cruel nails, and crown of thorns,
And Jesus crucified for me.

But even could I see Him die,
I could but see a little part
Of that great love which, like a fire,
Is always burning in His heart.

It is most wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
But 'tis love more wonderful to see
My love for Him so faint and poor.

And yet I want to love Thee, Lord:
Oh, light the flame within my heart,
And I will love Thee more and more
Until I see Thee as Thou art!

- - -

Your Favorite Name is Father
Almighty God
Lord of all creation
Ancient of days
The Holy One
So many names You've given us to call You
But one remains
Your favorite name

[Chorus]
Your favorite name is Father
You love to hear Your children calling
You're there to catch us when we're falling
Your favorite name is Father

Eternal King
Alpha and Omega
Jehovah God
The mighty One
So many names You've given us to call You
But one remains
Your favorite name

[Bridge]
Abba Father
Holy is Your name
Abba Father
Holy is Your name

I'm feeling: Blessed
I'm listening to: Came to the Rescue - Hillsong United

C'est Réalité

My love for Rent has been re-ignited. Since I laid my hands on the DVD (biggest thanks to my doll of a cousin, Drea for giving it to me! *muack*) I've only watched the movie twice in the past 24 hours. And the only thing I've been listening to since that first viewing is - you guessed it - the original Broadway cast recording. I'm gonna be a certified Renthead if I keep this up.

I love musicals. Everyone's always singing their hearts out, and even if the issues are grim and people are dying, the fact that they can break out in song and dance is just too awesome. I really do honestly think that the world would be a much better place if it was like a musical. For one, I can totally picture myself singing in the midst of a heated argument. All the tension would immediately disappear, cos seriously, how can anyone remain pissed when there's singing? Everything can be solved right after the bridge has been sung and then we can "fade out".

Sometimes, just sometimes, a tiny little part of me wishes that real life was a little more like the reel world. Well, at least the singing aspect of it.

I'm feeling: Chirpy
I'm listening to: One Song Glory - Rent: Original Broadway Cast

This Chook can cook

Bookmarking allrecipes.com was the first sign. Sifting through the pages of mouthwatering recipes, I found myself getting incredibly excited to the extent that I was plotting out full meals. I probably have enough saved in my recipe box for 3 meals now. Quite a considerable achievement if you think about the fact that before this - even when I was in Brisbane and had to prepare my own meals - cooking was never on the top of my list. I always shrugged cooking duties off to my two more apt friends. So, this sudden interest in the culinary has certainly got friends and family wondering if I have been possessed by a spatula.

Perhaps it's some kind of quarter-life crisis, if there's even such a thing, but I have cooked twice, in as many weeks, and I plan to have another cooking extravaganza soon. I have honestly never felt more satisfied and accomplished than with the success I get out of each dish. All that chopping and grating and sautéing is done with buckets of care just to ensure everything is perfect.

Of course, they don't always turn out perfect, but instead of waving it off like what I'd usually do, I resolved at improving. There's something I never knew could be possible: that I can be resolute. This new found interest is certainly bringing out a whole different side of me - determined & domesticated.

Here are the pictures from our last cook-in which was supposed to be a birthday treat for Min (I forgot to take photos of our actual meal so had to take the leftovers instead):

We started off with a bit of herb bread...


And here we have the Garden Pasta Salad, which went down very well with everyone. ;)


Can't have a meal without your veggies!


And here's the main course - Garlic Chicken - baked to perfection.


All satisfied after the meal, Min is presented with gifts from Huaiky...


And gifts from myself and Dia, Nessa and Hui who were all MIA.

I'm feeling: Productive
I'm listening to: Gravity - Embrace

Cold, cold night

An unexplainable plethora of emotions consumed me as I leisurely browsed through the aisles, looking for something nice to munch on during my self-planned BauerFest* later that evening. It was exactly as how it would be for some sappy movie where love's lost and the apt soundtrack carries the mood throughout that scene. Well, this is no drama but as I walked down that biscuit section, and without anyone in my vision, I heard these words played through the speakers:

Sadness In my eyes
No one guessed
Or no one tried
You smiled at me
Like Jesus to a child
- George Michael

I stood there, stunned, and I felt my heart sink. I wanted to cry.

I was incredibly overwhelmed by my emotions and all I could think of for a good 2 minutes was how depressed I felt, but I didn't know why this was happening to me. I don't recall having anything to be sad about. So I slowly picked myself up and moved towards the chips.

The chips did not help with the temporary disorientation. My emotions were racing so I found difficulty digesting all that variety in front of me. I wandered aimlessly between the two aisles for awhile and just when I thought I was okay again, I caught my hand reaching for the Prawn Crackers when both my mind and tastebuds had agreed on Apple Chips. What was I doing? Was I so affected that my mind and body became independent of each other?

So I did what I deemed best. I wallowed in self-pity and I felt sorry for myself all the way back home. But not without telling myself to abandon all these emotions on the bus when I got off. There was no way I was going to carry this baggage into my house, my domain.

I didn't quite succeed because I seemed to have left a trail but I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning. I usually manage to sleep it off, especially if it's something I have absolutely no clue about. Perhaps I really am afflicted but I just don't know it yet. Perhaps the song managed to reach deep within me and brought forth something that I've not realised. Whatever it is, I know that I need to submit this to God or I am never gonna be able to get out of it.

*BauerFest = To indulge in a few episodes of 24 back-to-back and celebrate the fact that Jack Bauer is THE man.

I'm feeling: Spiritless
I'm listening to: Boston - Augustana